Opinions

[Deleted User]

I'm having a bit of a dispute with the medical centre that I go to. They seem to forget that I have severe anxiety which means I cannot keep going into the surgery because it makes both my anxiety and FM worse then I'm ill for days, I also cannot swallow meds properly due to swallowing problems. My FM is under minor and yet I'm in pain from head to toe on a daily basis. When I have been in about an issue I had (swelling in my rib) the GP said it was a flare up! So what's the point in me forcing myself to go back and making myself ill when I don't get any help, plus she stated I don't like painkillers, neither myself or my son recall me saying that I said something like "painkillers don't help fibro do they?" and she said no.. *sigh*.

Anyway, I've had a letter from the APM after me asking a few questions that I sent via letter with my Son and this is part of the response. I'm wondering if what the GP is saying is correct? and if it is how the heck am I meant to get them to take my FM seriously when I can't get into the surgery

clp

Hi it is just on the clinical system. No clear guidance on what you put if anything under either heading.  That will change no doubt as we move forward.  We tend to put under major ops etc then move them when patient has recovered.  It wont Impact your care.  Hope that's a bit reassuring.  Most surgeries will offer phone appointments and that might work for you.  

[Deleted User]

Thanks for responding, I've responded to the apm letter. Looking to move to another medical centre at some point.

clp

Check NHS choices for those you can join but ignore the reviews.  You want a good clinical practice not one that always gets good reviews.  Unfortunately it doesn't work like trip advisor as no incentive to put on good reviews.

[Deleted User]

Hmm I've been looking but I was actually looking at the reviews. I've actually asked a friend of mine where she goes because she has mental health problems and her son has a rare illness, she said a couple of gp's where she's at have been really good with her kids. I also checked their website out and noticed three of the gps do joint injections so wondering iif they would have knowledge about chronic pain. My mum also asked her friend about another which is closer and she said it's ok. Trying to be careful this time.

I can't go to the one my previous GP is now at, the practice manager said I was too far out

clp

Joint injection GPs usually have some rheumatology knowledge but it's a relatively wide spread skill.  Normally a practice is happy to tell you what a GP is interested in.  Personally I go with friends I trust and it's not unknown for patients to change practice every couple of years.  No one takes offence.

[Deleted User]

Thanks for the advice @clp

I've been looking at the QOF site, I don't know if it's a site I can compare surgeries on? but if it is, the one I'm with only had 78%....

clp

Look for CQC. Was it good or needs improvement overall?  If good should be fine.  We've been marked down on things that had nothing to do with patient care.  With QoF it's how the practice gets its money.  Most practices will aim for 90% and above.  If it's 78% then it may be that the recording is bad but care is good or it could be that long term condition monitoring isn' great.  Some areas have done away with QoF completely as it can be a tick box review.

[Deleted User]

TOTAL ACHIEVEMENT: 78%

Well, the other medical centres here have got around 90% up, the highest one being 99.1%.

On the CQC site they got good, they got outstanding for two of them. Caring was one of them, I've yet to see it.

clp

Caring is a really interesting one - it's very subjective.  I personally would prefer it to be changed to clinical quality.  At the end of the day I want the best care, I would like it done in a caring way but if I had to choose I would rather have the quality of care.  My own GP practice is a group practice and I choose different GPs for different things.  It doesn't make one better than the other but like all patients in some circumstances I prefer one GPs manner to another's.

[Deleted User]

Yeah, quality sounds better.

I had a GP I preferred to go to previously, I saw her more or less all of the time unless she was on maternity leave or I had to see a different GP about my gout because my previous GP admitted she didn't really know about gout.

I've since moved surgery and so has she, I did try and contact the surgery that she is now with, it's not that far really but the practice manager said I'm too far out of the catchment area I usually switch between GP's then will stick with the one who I feel the most at ease with but I've yet to find one at this surgery and I think I've tried all of the GP's. The other problem is, GP's seem to come and go at this surgery as well.

I'm hoping the APM got my email, there were attachments on it (list of health problems, mental health question, two sleep clinic letters, a gastro letter and a letter to the APM) and I think some email systems can be funny with attachments? So I'll get my Son to email on Monday and ask if she got it, plus I would like my appointment changed to a phone consultation if possible.

clp

GPs will come and go now - there is always a vacancy they can move to.  Hope they give you a phone appointment.  Good luck

[Deleted User]

Thank you and thanks for your help!